Latest on WSOP: Viktor Blom's Unceasing Poker Domination Continues
Machete Day at the WSOP wasn't about relaxation. Packed fields and hefty buy-ins spelled big tales, and they didn't disappoint.
In the mammoth $250K Super High Roller, the priciest event of the series, bigwigs and fans filled the stands. Elsewhere, the budget-friendly $500 Salute to Warriors drew a swarm of players, with a staggering 3,937 players for the single starting flight.
Up in the stratosphere, the Super High Roller was indeed tougher pickings, but seating was a breeze for tournament organizers. With 46 entries on Day 1, the pot is a gargantuan - so far - $11,379,250. As of the end of Day 1, 38 are still standing, with registration open until a level into Day 2. Dan the Man aka 'Kid Poker', Negreanu, won't be bluffing his way in 14 times in this one, as he did in an online event over the weekend. 'Kid Poker' heads into Day 2 with just a little under a starting stack.
The chip leader as the stakes climb is the unflappable Martin Kabrhel, and the chase pack is full of heavy-hitters like Ben Tollerene, Isaac Haxton, and recent $100K High Roller winner Joao Vieira. Sparks will fly.
In the bustling $500 Salute to Warriors, the 3,937 players battled it out and whittled down to 625, just 34 places shy of the money bubble. The $500 buy-in will transform into a $187,937 windfall for the eventual winner.
When 'Big' was the name of the day for one tournament, it wasn't just a moniker. Day 2 of the $10K Big O Championship saw the field cut down to 26 from an initial 402 entries. Familiar face Viktor Blom, aka 'Isildur1', lurks near the top once more.
The Swede boasts five cashes and three final tables at this year's series, including a runner-up finish in the $10K Limit Hold'em Championship just days ago. He currently sits third in chips but needs to climb higher for the gold - and the $784,353 jackpot - after running hot in the first weeks of the WSOP.
In his way are contenders like Phil Hui, Erik Seidel, and Nick Schulman, so he's got his work cut out.
David Baker, or 'ODB' for the poker insiders, was brought to tears after his victory in the $5K Seniors High Roller NLH. A four-time WSOP champion, the win was his biggest yet in terms of cash, lighting his wallet up for $646,845.
'ODB', a recognizable name from the ODB Fantasy League with which we've teamed for the PokerOrg Fantasy Freeroll, defeated Chuanshu Chen in a tear-streaked heads-up battle. "I've never played heads-up like today versus Chen," Baker confessed to PokerOrg.
"It's about the bracelet, but it's also about the money. This was a big prize."
Carlos Leiva and Allan Le also scooped handsome prizes, with $237,852 and $126,363, respectively, going to Leiva for the $1K Pot-Limit Omaha and Le after outsmarting Shaun Deeb in the $1,500 Razz.
Tomorrow brings more big encouraged prizes, big names, and big stories as PokerOrg delivers daily updates right from the pulsating heart of the 2025 World Series of Poker.
Fun Fact:
Did you know that David Baker's "David Baker, not David 'Bakes' Baker" moniker became necessary when another poker pro, David "Bakes" Baker started making a name for himself in the poker world? To avoid confusion, Baker chose "ODB" as his famous nickname** derivation from his real name and the Hip Hop artist, Osbezide Baker.
In the world of online gaming, Dan Negreanu, also known as 'Kid Poker', was seen triumphing in an online poker event, after initially being absent from the $250K Super High Roller event at the WSOP series. Meanwhile, the competitive atmosphere of sports can be found in the WSOP as well, with the $10K Big O Championship hosting heavyweights like Viktor Blom, aka 'Isildur1', in a race for the $784,353 grand prize.
